Eta Carina with $900 scope + cheap DSLR camera

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by avandonk

..... me priceless!


Bert

Yeah, forget the gear. It's the operator that makes it all come together

[tornado33]

Well said Bert
One thing Ive noted both with Pauls guidescope and with ballaratdragons is the scope rings dont actually attach directly to the main tube, which is good. I used to have a refractor guidescope on rings bolted directly to the tube but that caused flexure. Having the guidescopes either attached separetely to the mount like pauls or to the actual rings that hold the main scope like ballaratdragons seems to be the go for eliminating flexure.

I went for off axis guiding http://www.aeroquest-machining.com/page9.html
Having the pickoff prisim in front means I can guide on unfiltered light.Only disadvantage is comatic guidestars.
Now when is the east coast going to actually get some clear weather?
Scott

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Paul

Don't worry if people pick ya photos sometimes, it is easy to become bitter and twisted . Many of us do look at images to be more than just "perfect" as far as processing and image quality goes. As you point out there is a lot more to an image than perfection in acquisition and processing.

When an image of a well known object is posted in a traditional way it is inevitable that some might point out any obvious imperfections they notice as it is being presented in a dime-a-dozen way, so this your latest representation of Eta Carina region is very refreshing and reminds us that it is not about getting a perfect image everytime but instead remembering what it is we are imaging and to have a look more carefully at what we have captured rather than just the overall "look" of the image.

Nicely done

Mike

[koputai (Jason)]

Guys,
My comment was merely my own realisation that it wasn't a bare bones set up.
I love Pauls work (the commentary included with that image really gives depth to it), and am hanging to see his second article in the next Sky and Space magazine.

Cheers,
Jason.